I'm debating an Ioniq 5 and a Tesla 3 standard range. I would almost never go more than 150km between home charges except for possibly a half dozen road trips a year which would be in the summer when fast charging should work well, unlike the winter. The tesla would cost $10,000 more but would probably have $10,000 better resale value in 5-6 years because of the brand.
I read about problems on here, slow charging under in the winter, draining 12v batteries, climate control that doesn't work properly, scheduled departure heating not working, overnight scheduled charging not working, lack of rear wiper, etc.. and I'm wondering if these are outliers. Then again I'm not on a Tesla forum to see how many people are having issues with their new cars over there..
The model 3 standard range is a little bit less than the Ioniq 5 RWD long range, but i imagine at real world speeds (not 90km/h), the Tesla probably comes out on top because of it's more aerodynamic profile.
So to those who own both, how do they compare? Which did you enjoy more? If you could only own one, which would it be?
I contacted a couple of people selling used tesla's on facebook, and it seems many of them had a lot of repairs (suspension, etc) in their first 4-5 years of ownership, and many complained about the quality of service, and difficult getting quick service. But reading this forum, that seems to be an issue with the Ioniq 5 as well.. no parts, dealers who can't diagnose issues, and don't know how to fix these cars.
Anyways, I'm used to Toyota camry levels of reliability, so I know it won't be like that for either of these cars, but just trying to get a better idea of what I'm getting into so I don't have any regrets
Tesla Model 3 versus Hyundai Ionic5
When you buy an electric car you’re buying not just a car body but also a battery and software. The short story is you get a lot more car body for your money with Ioniq5; the Ioniq5 battery for the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) variant has an edge in drving range, but both are great for most trips. And Tesla shines in the software department. We’ve had the Tesla since September and the Ioniq5 just since February, so I’m still learning my way around it. Here’s a more detailed look at both cars.
Car bodies
For roughly the same amount of money, with Tesla we got a sedan and with Hyundai we got a mini SUV. The Model 3 has a glass roof which contributes significantly to heat gain in the cabin. Most owners get aftermarket tinting, which cost us another $800+. There’s no frame around the windows, so every time you open and shut the door, the windows automatically lower and rise to protect the gasket. The Tesla needs special jack pods if it’s jacked up. The Ioniq is a more solid car. I find both cars comfortable to sit in. Both handle well. The Tesla has legendary acceleration, but the Ioniq has plenty of pep.
Batteries.
The Tesla model 3 has a range of 250 miles versus the Ioniq 3 range of 337 miles. (Ioniq5 RWD rated at 302 EPA but ours is over-spec). The Ioniq5 reportedly recharges in 18 minutes—we haven’t tested this yet. We took the Tesla on a road trip recently and were able to charge in 30 to 45 minutes. Tesla has an extensive range of Tesla rechargers nationwide and we had no trouble finding rechargers along interstates. It's also possible to use an adapter and use other recharging stations as well. We haven’t taken the Ioniq on a road trip yet, but road apps show lots of chargers for it as well.
We have the iron based (LFP) Tesla battery and it is projected to last for about 4000 cycles or 1,000,000 miles. The ioniq5 battery will last 1500 cycles which translates to about 400,000 miles. The Ioniq5 battery is better in terms of range and cold weather performance but for most driving you are fine in either car. Tesla’s battery is more efficient in using less electrical power.
Software
Both have assisted driving features. The adaptive cruise control works really well on both. Both have one foot driving, where the car starts to brake as you lift your foot from the accelerator. Once you get used to it, this is a really nice feature. It works well on the Tesla, but on the ioniq5 it's very weak. I like the Ioniq5 blind spot warnings on the screen right in front of the driver. Tesla has a a side camera that kicks on when you use the turn signal but I find this less helpful. They both have lane keeping assistance, but you have to keep your hands on the wheel and move it slightly to prove you're still paying attention. Sometimes the car brakes when it doesn't need to, especially the Tesla. This is a feature that is sometimes more trouble than it's worth on both cars. You can give voice commands on both cars. Tesla has tried to automate as many features as it can, and get rid of all knobs. The Ioniq automates a lot, but not as much and still has some knobs. The Ioniq5 is not self-driving. The Tesla has a “full self-driving” mode that costs extra. We did not opt for it. According to online reviews, it works 8 out of 10 times.
When it comes to software beyond assisted driving, Tesla is in a class by itself. It has a whole suite of entertainment options including music, podcasts, games and videos. It comes with a toy box that includes an under the hood speaker, and famously, a fart sound (really Elon?) Some of the features are more practical . Your phone is the key to the car and you can do many functions remotely using the Tesla app. For example you can start the heater or A/C while you’re still in the restaurant. You can see if the car is charged. One of the nicest features on Tesla is that when you enter long distance driving directions it will automatically select recharging stations along the route and will even automatically update the selection based on your realized driving conditions. Tesla regularly sends over-the-air software updates.
The buying experience
When we purchased the Tesla, it cost $44k (total) and there were no Federal credits for it. Tesla uses stores, not dealers, so there is no dealer markup. And the whole purchase transaction is on-line. Unfortunately demand for the cars is so high that since our purchase the price has gone up significantly. As of March 15 the price has gone up tp $53k (total) and the current delivery time is July, 2022. We had to make an appointment to test drive the car, and nobody from the store goes with you. We filled out the order online, then waited 3 months. Tesla’s on-line delivery tool changed the delivery date almost every other day. If you don't pick it up within 3 days of the final date, Tesla will sell it to somebody else. The wait till delivery is popularly called “delivery ****” on-line.
The total cost for the Ioniq5 was $51.5k but we expect to get a federal rebate of $7.5k.so for us, so the price is the same. Dealer markups are universal and vary widely from $500 (a few) up to $10,000 or more (many). And EVERY car comes with dealer-installed (junk) options for $400-$700. We traveled three hours out of state to get a RWD-drive/long-range car with a markup of just $500. We didn't test drive the car before we put a refundable deposit on it, because they only started arriving in the US in January. Not all Hyundai dealers are certified to sell and repair Ioniq5. Our local dealer has applied for certification and I think this situation will change quickly.
Ironically one reason I bought the Ioniq is because I thought it would have less mechanical problems, but the heater and air conditioning didn't work when the car arrived. The Tesla has had no problem. My biggest rant is that when I went to get a bike rack for the Ioniq5, I discovered it needed a receiver hitch, and Hyundai does not offer them in the US yet. In Australia, you can get it factory installed!! HYUNDAI, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, PEOPLE BUY SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES BECAUSE THEY DO SPORTS!!
Overall, I really like both cars and being able to re-fuel at home at any time versus taking time to go to a gas station is a blast. The electric car has arrived.
